March 30, 2012

Game Notes

CHICAGO - The UIC softball team (14-15/2-1 Horizon League) plays host to IUPUI in a non-conference match up Saturday. The doubleheader begins at Noon (CT) inside Flames Field in Chicago, Ill.

LEAD-OFF HITS

SCOUTING THE FLAMES

UIC has a 14-15 overall record, with a 2-1 record in the Horizon League ... Melissa Preish carries a .391 batting average in her 28 games this season ... she has 13 RBI, three homeruns, one triple and five doubles, she has also drawn the most walks with 17 ... UIC has two primary pitchers, Devin Miller (8-10/4.08 ERA) and Ashley Hewett (5-5/3.72 ERA) ... Coryn Schmit leads the team in homeruns with six and RBI with 22.

SCOUTING THE JAGUARS

IUPUI carries a 9-21 record, including a 2-7 conference record ... Kelsey Rupert has a .302 batting average to lead the team ... Nicole Checkie has earned 31 RBI, the most on the team ... the Jaguars have five pitchers, with Nikki Thomas having the most playing time with a 3-10 record and a 2.78 ERA ... Jenny Royse has four homeruns to lead the team.

HORIZON LEAGUE PRESEASON PICK

A 2012 Horizon League Tournament championship gave the Flames their first NCAA berth since 2004. UIC concluded the 2011 season with the top fielding percentage in the league, .968 percent. Schmit tied for third place in homeruns with 10, while Miller blanked 227 batters to finish third in strikeouts.

LAST TIME OUT

UIC collected two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but the effort fell short as the Flames were defeated by Northwestern, 7-2, inside Drysdale Field in Evanston, Ill., the two teams combined for nine hits. The Wildcats had seven, while the Flames posted two hits.

2011 HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS - SCHMIT & HERNANDEZ

Schmit was a postseason first-team all-Horizon League honoree as she had a league-best slugging percentage of .800, while also leading the Flames in homeruns with six. The first baseman logged 16 RBI in 20 League contests, and concluded the season with a .315 batting average. Hernandez garnered 2011 postseason all-second and all-newcomer Horizon League honors after the shortstop posted a .349 batting average, while committing only four errors on the season. She added nine RBI, three homeruns and a triple during her rookie season.

Follow UICSoftball on Twitter, Facebook and live stats through the link, which can be accessed through the softball schedule.

--UIC--